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One of the world’s rarest bats gets a manicure. (Picture: ZSL/PA Wire)

When you hear the word manicure, supple and soft cuticle beds or some Insta-worthy nail art might come to mind.

You’ll be forgiven if it doesn’t immediately conjure a visual of an endangered, previously thought to be extinct, species of bat.

On the Guanahacabibes Peninsula in Cuba, conservation efforts are underway to protect the greater funnel-eared bats.

Inside a humid cave known as Cueva La Barca, there are 750 of the bats. This is believed to be the last remaining population of the species.

The bats live in a remote ‘hot cave’. (Picture: ZSL/PA Wire)

The Cuban greater funnel-eared bats are furry, tan-coloured creatures with a spine-tingling snarl and an appetite for moths and crickets. They’re also certified cuties that happened to have recently had their nails done.

A group of Cuban and international scientists on ZSL’s Edge of Existence programme used four nail varnish colours to mark the bats on their nails.

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The multiple colour combinations allowed them to identify, distinguish and count the bats, with one of the aims being to highlight just how critical their endangered status is.

Only 750 of the bats remain. (Picture: ZSL/PA Wire)

Considering the bats are between 3.5 to 5.5 cm in length, you can imagine the dexterity – and patience – required for such a task. That’s right, no more complaining about grooming your giant Labrador.

The population has been in sharp decline for several reasons, one of them being their highly specific habitat of hot and humid caves.